Two sisters tragically lost their lives on Thanksgiving Day when they attempted to rescue their disabled father from a burning house on Mosswood Avenue. The fire, which was reported around 5 p.m., claimed the lives of Frantzia Fleury, 49, and her sister, Pojanee “PJ” Fleury, 42, who were pronounced dead shortly before 7 p.m. The devastating incident has left the house uninhabitable and the close-knit neighborhood in a state of shock and mourning.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is spearheading the investigation into the fire, which is still in its initial stages. According to family members, the sisters were celebrating Thanksgiving with their family when the fire rapidly spread throughout the house. In the ensuing chaos, the sisters rushed back into the burning house to help their father, who is wheelchair-bound and suffers from dementia.
The fire reportedly started shortly after 5 p.m. on Mosswood Avenue, between Heywood and Tremont avenues. As family members scrambled to safety, the sisters bravely reentered the burning house to reach their father on an upper floor. A cousin, Sidney, who requested his last name be withheld, described the sisters as having “big hearts” and being deeply devoted to their family.
One of the sisters lived in the house, while the other was visiting for the holiday. Their father was later rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Seven other individuals managed to escape the fire. The victims were found inside the house and declared dead shortly after 6:45 p.m. The exact cause and manner of death will be determined by the Essex County medical examiner.
The fire is believed to have started on the second floor, but the exact origin is still under investigation. The father and six other occupants were able to escape the fire, with the father receiving treatment for smoke exposure. The house has since been declared an “unsafe structure” following the fire.
Frantzia was a Marine Corps veteran and worked as an X-ray technologist, while Pojanee was a creative entrepreneur who founded a community magazine. Both sisters had one child each. The family had been residents of the block for several decades, according to neighbors.
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for house fires, and the incident drew a large response. Fire crews attacked the flames from the front and rear of the structure while relatives gathered on the sidewalk. Investigators are currently interviewing witnesses, reviewing the 911 timeline, and examining electrical and cooking sources as part of standard procedure. No foul play is suspected at this stage.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined and the investigation is ongoing. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is handling the case with assistance from Orange fire officials. Autopsies will be conducted by the county medical examiner, and the house will remain posted as unsafe until structural inspectors and insurance adjusters complete separate reviews.